Building structure



May 28, 1968 D. R. OEHLER ET AL BUILDING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1966 INVENTORS DONALD R. OEHLER ROBT JOHNSON ATTORNEYS y 1968 D. R. OEHLER ET AL 3,385,004

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed ay 6 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTORS DONALDR. OEHLER ROBERT 9. JOHN 0 BY a a E w. @1 I lnniiil mm .2 F

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,385,004 BUILDING STRUCTURE Donald R. Oehler, Lake City, and Robert 0. Johnson, Erie, Pa., assignors to Fenestra, Incorporated, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 2, 1966, Ser. No. 546,895 3 Claims. (Cl. 49-504) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A door frame structure including jamb members having a channel-shaped cross section with side walls extending at less than ninety degrees from the front wall of the cross section thereof to positively grip both sides of a door opening, anchor clips secured to the bottom of the jamb members for positioning the jamb members in a door opening in conjunction with a Z-shaped spacing member extending between the side walls of at least one of the jamb members. The door frame structure further includes a head member extending between the upper ends of the jamb members and connected thereto by means of a mitered joint, tongue and groove aligning structure op erable between the upper end of the jamb members and the ends of the head member and a rectangular aligning and stiffening channel member secured within the upper ends of the jamb members and over the mitered joints between the jamb and head members.

This invention relates to a new and improved door frame structure for installation in a drywall door opening. The frame consists of a top or head section and two side or jamb sections of preformed sheet metal stock which are individually fitted to the door frame opening and are locked together at the upper door opening corners to form an integral frame. The frame members positively grip both sides of the door opening so that the resultant frame is sturdy and highly fire resistant. Strip type anchor clips are mounted in the side frame members adjacent the bottom of the door opening and hold these members in proper alignment to the drywall to prevent skewing of the side frame members.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved door frame structure.

Another object is to provide a sturdy and fire resistant sheet metal door frame for installation in a drywall door opening.

A further object is to provide a novel door frame corner joint.

Another object is to provide a novel anchoring clip for securing a door frame member to a door opening sidewall.

A still further object is to provide a novel method for installing a sheet metal door frame in a roughed-in doorway.

Another object is to provide door frame structure and a method of installation thereof which is simple, economical and eflicient.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of assembled door frame structure constructed according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front view of the two side frame members of the door frame structure of FIGURE 1 taken in the direction of arrows 13 in FIGURE 1.

[FIGURE 3 is a partially broken away side view of the side door frame members shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a corner joint of the door frame shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view of the corner joint shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom of one of the side door frame members showing the anchoring clips secured thereto.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing one of the anchoring clips of FIGURE 7 in position to be secured to the side frame member.

FIGURE 9 is a top view of one of the anchoring clips shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURES 10 and 11 are enlarged sectional views taken along line 1010 and 11-11 respectively of FIGURE 2.

With particular reference to the figures of the drawings, one embodiment of the present invention will now be considered in detail.

In a door frame according to the invention side frame or jamb members 10 and 12 and top frame or head member 14 are mounted around the rough doorway opening 16 in the drywall construction 18. The wall 18 may be comprised of two wall panels 20 separated by a spacer 22, as shown in FIGURE 4. Members 10, 12 and 14 are all formed from rolled sheet metal stock and have a generally channel shaped cross section defined by generally flat side walls 24 and 26 and a flat front 28. A door stop ledge or rib 30 is formed in the front 28 and provides a seat for a door (not shown) which may be hung on side frame member 10.

[Generally Z-shaped stilfeners 32, 34, 36 and 38 are secured to the inner side of front 28, as shown in FIG- URE 3, and serve to materially stiffen the frame members 10 and 12. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, stiffener 36 carried by the lock side, frame member 12 has a greater depth than the other stitfeners 32, 34 and 38 and is seated against the rough doorway opening 16.

The end portions 40 and 42 of side walls 24 and 26 are bent inwardly by a double-back or reverse bend to provide fiat wall contact surfaces 44 and 46. As shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4 the normal angle between the side walls 24 and 26 and the front 28 is slightly less than ninety degrees so that the side walls must be sprung apart slightly in order to seat the frame members 10, 12 and 14 on the wall 18. This stressing of the frame members assures that the contact faces 44 and 46 are held in close contact against the wall panels 20. It should be noted that the stiffening members 32, 34, 36 and 38 are not secured to the frame member side walls 24 and 26 and thus do not interfere with the stressed contact between the contact faces 44 and 46 and the wall 18.

In the corner joints between the ends of top [frame member 14 and the upper ends of side frame members 10 and 12 the end portions of the side walls 24 and 26 of the frame members 10 and 12 are beveled at a fortyfive degree angle at 50 so as to fit snugly with the fortyfive degree bevel 52 formed in the end portions of the side walls of the top frame member 14, as shown best in FIGURE 6. Tabs 56 extend upwardly from the front 28 of the frame members 10 and 12 and extend through slots 58 in the top frame member 14. The door stop 30 of side frame members 10 and 12 is relieved at end 60 to accommodate the stop portion 30 of the top frame member 14.

U-shaped clip members 62 and 64 are secured to the upper ends of side frame member side walls 24 and 26, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, by convenient means, such as welding. With tabs 56 seated in slots 58 the corner assembly is finally secured by means of screws 66 which extend through slots 68 in the top frame member 14 and engage holes 70 in the clip members 62 and 64.

The generally Z-shaped sill anchors 72, shown best in FIGURES 79, are used to secure the bottoms of the side frame members 10 and 12 to the side wall panels 20. The anchors 72 are preferably formed of sheet metal stock. As shown in FIGURES 7-9 the sill anchors '72 include a mounting end 74 carrying mounting holes 76 and an offset lock end 78. The mounting and lock ends are connected by a transverse median portion 80. A look tab 82 is struck from the median portion 80 adjacent the mounting end 74. The lock end 78 of the bracket has a length equal to the interior width of side wall 24 or 26 and the median portion 80 has a width equal to the spacing between the contact face 44 or 46 and the side wall 24 or 26. Barb 84 extends outwardly past the free end of lock end 78 and is provided with sharp points at the end thereof. Stilfening rib 86 extends along the length of lock end 78 and prevents buckling thereof during locking of the anchor 72 in the frame member.

Prior to installation of the door frame members in the roughed-in doorway 16 it is necessary to secure sill anchors 72 to the lower portions of the frame members 10 and 12, as illustrated in FIGURE 7. The lock end and median portions 78 and 80 of each anchor 72 are inserted into the frame member through a slot 88 in the reverse bend portion of the frame member side Wall 24 or 26 adjacent the contact face 44 or 46. The sill anchor 72 is then positioned, as shown in FIGURE 8, with the barb 84 abutting the front 28 and the bend between the median portion 80 and the lock end 78 seated against the adjacent side wall. Lock end 78 is then pushed toward the side wall so that the barb 84 is bent, as shown in FIGURE 7, and engages front wall 28. Lock tab 82 is now seated against the adjacent mounting face 44 or 46 and the median portion 80 is held against the doubleback bend portion 40 or 42 so that the anchor 72 is securely attached to the frame member.

With the anchor in position it should be noted that the mounting end 74 of the anchor 72 forms an extension of the contact face 44 or 46 and is flush with the side wall 18 when the frame member is mounted thereon.

Hinge cut-out portions 90 are provided in the front face 28 of side frame member 12, as shown in FIGURE 10. Back-up plates 92 are secured as by welding to the inside of face 28 upon either side of the cut-out portions 90 and carry hinge mounting screw holes 94 so that a door may be mounted on frame member 10 by securing the door hinges to the back-up plates 92.

A back-up plate 96 is also secured as by welding inside side frame member 12 to either side of latch opening 98, as shown in FIGURE 11. Back-up plate includes holes 100 for mounting screws whereby a suitable latch plate may be secured to the frame member.

In assembling the door frame according to the invention, the sill anchors 72 are first attached to the side frame members 10 and 12 as previously described. The top frame member 14 is fitted over the top of the roughedout doorway opening 16. The side frame members 10 and 12 are then fitted over the sides of the roughed doorway 16 by inserting the tabs 56 at the upper ends thereof into the respective slots 58 in the top frame member 14 and then pivoting the side frame members about the slots 58 so as to seat them in approximate alignment with the doorway.

The approximate fitting of frame member 12 in the doorway seats stiffening member 36 against the roughed doorway 16. With the frame member 12 secured in its approximate position, the screws 66 are inserted through the slots 68 into holes 70 to secure the top frame member 14 to the side frame members 10 and 12. Side frame members 10 and 12 may then be brought into plumb. The sill anchors 72 carried by frame members 10 and 12 are then secured to the wall panels by the use of suitable fasteners, such as nails or screws extending through mounting holes 76.

The frame members 10, 12 and 14 may be aligned in the doorway by an alternate method whereby after rough installation of the frame members in the rough doorway as described, a door is mounted on the door frame (member 10) by securing the door hinges to the back-up plates 92 carried by frame member 10. The proper alignment of the frame members is then obtained by fitting them against the door. The top frame member 14 is secured to the side frame members 10 and 12 as before and following alignment of the frame members, the sill anchors 72 are secured to the wall panels 20 by inserting screws through holes 76 to complete the installation.

The installation of a door frame by either of the two methods mentioned above is easily and rapidly performed with the average installation time of about fifteen minutes per door frame. This represents a considerable saving in time over that required to install conventional door frames.

The slight inward bend of the frame member side walls 24 and 26 holds the contact faces 44 and 46 thereof in intimate contact with the wall panels 20 so as to form a fire and smoke resistant seal therebetween. Such a seal between the door frame and the side wall assures that the door and frame will resist fire attempting to spread out from the interior of the wall panels 20 or from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall. This feature of the invention is important since it eliminates the necessity of relying upon conventional preassembled fireproof type door frames which are expensive and which must be erected in place before the side wall 18 is completed.

While one embodiment and a modification of the present invention have been considered in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments and modifications are contemplated. It is the intention to include all embodiments and modifications as are defined by the appended claims within the scope of the invention.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A structural member for use in sealing the end of a wall comprising an elongated frame member having a channel-shaped cross section defined by a substantially flat front wall and substantially flat side walls extending to one side of said front wall, the outer ends of said side walls being bent inwardly through two ninety degree bends forming a channel contour to provide contact faces spaced more closely than said side walls, the angle between said front wall and each of said side walls being slightly less than ninety degrees so that said contact faces are normally spaced apart a distance less than the width of said front wall whereby said frame member may be installed over the end of a wall having a thickness greater than the normal spacing of said contact faces and less than the width of said front wall to form a protective clamping seal therefor, a slot in the reverse bend portion of one of said side walls adjacent the contact face thereof and a generally Z- shaped anchor clip having spaced mounting and lock portions interconnected by a transverse median portion, said lock portion having a length generally equal to the width of such side wall and said median portion having a length generally equal to the spacing between such side wall and contact face, said clip extending through said slot with the lock portion extending across the inside of such side wall and the median portion fitted between such side wall and contact face, said mounting portion extending outwardly of said slot and away from said front wall, and means fixedly securing said locking and transverse clip portions to said frame member.

2. A structural member as in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprise a barb on the end of said lock portion adjacent said front wall and a tab formed from said median portion, said barb engaging said front wall so as to hold said lock portion against such side wall and said tab extending toward said front wall and engaging such contact face so as to secure said median portion against movement.

3. A corner joint assembly for connecting two angularly related elongated frame members having a cross section including a front wall and rearwardly extending side walls, said assembly including two adjacent end portions of said frame members, the side walls of each of said end portions extending axially past the end of the respective front walls thereof, each side Wall having a straight bevel edge running from the adjacent front wall toward the free side wall edge, one of said end portions having laterally spaced slots formed in the end of the front wall thereof, the other of said end portions having laterally spaced tabs extending axially past the end of the front wall thereof, said tabs being engaged within the slots, both the slots and tabs lying on a line along the front wall of the respective end portion and running between the intersection of the side wall bevel edges and such front surface, said end members being connected to form a corner assembly by seating said tabs in said slots and locating the frame members so that the bevel edges on like sides thereof are brought into close contact to form bevel joints, and rectangular channel-shaped strengthening and aligning members secured to the inner surface of the side walls of the one of said end portions with the side walls of the channel-shaped strengthening and aligning members extending transversely of the one of said end portions and away from the side walls of the one of said end portions with the connecting portion of the channelshaped strengthening and aligning members in surfaceto-surface engagement with the inner surface of the side wall of the one of said members and open returned portions at the free longitudinal edges of the side walls of both of said end portions snugly fitting over edges of the strengthening and aligning members and means for connecting the other of said end portions to the strengthening and aligning members with the bevel edges of the end portions in abutment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,687,194 8/1954 Kelly 49504 X 2,835,933 5/1958 Evans v 52-211 3,222,833 12/1965 Woodrurn 52211 3,261,137 7/1966 Iureit 287--20.92 X 3,287,857 11/1966 Yukas 49504 KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

